Do’s and Don’ts of French Oak Parquetry Flooring
Be it a plain oak parquetry or French oak parquetry, the flooring has been popular for ages and is still going strong. The noble and regal look that it imparts beats any other sort of flooring, which calls for a greater demand these days. Despite being excessively expensive than normal timber and carpet flooring, people are wise enough to go for oak parquetry because of the obvious benefits they incorporate within.
Check out the following do’s and don’ts of French oak parquetry for prolonging its use and maintaining a classy finish.
Do’s of Oak Parquet Flooring
When you witness the parquet flooring that pops up in almost every interior décor and designer magazines, they appear seemingly simple to install. With their wide variety of patterns and colors, it is hard to set heart on any one, yet both the traditional and the contemporary patterns are stunning enough to steal the show. If you are keen with the parquet flooring, these are do’s that you should not ignore:
- Maintenance
Ensure its longevity with a proper maintenance such as with brushing and dry cleaning. There is no need of vacuum cleaners to clean them, as the particles of grit embedded in the brushes tend to scratch the surface of the floors.
- Deep Cleaning the Floors
Certain cleaners for French oak parquetry deeply clean the flooring without letting excessive water damage the floor. It is recommended to always check with the manufacturer if they have any specific cleaner to go with the floors.
- Adding Finish Periodically
The polyurethane finish applied on-site tends to wear out with excessive traffic walking over the floor, which calls for a periodic application of the coat over the parquetry. In addition, you must remove everything from the room when applying polyurethane and use a rag for doing so, as the substance is instilled with some of the harmful chemicals.
- Installation
Installation of oak parquetry requires prepping the floor beforehand to level the base. If the base is not leveled, a leveling compound will be added until it is so. In case of a concrete base, heavy plastic or Styrofoam is usually added as a layer of insulation.
Don’ts of Oak Parquet Flooring
Make sure that you make the following don’ts part of your routine and practice so that your French oak parquetry is not subject to any human damage whatsoever.
- Oak flooring exposure
The oak parquetry must never be exposed to oils, solvents, or plastics. Over time, the plastic might stick to the flooring causing it to leach into the wood. Alcohol, remover, or perfume could stain and dull the hardwood parquetry. Hence, be extremely careful.
- Wet mop the floor
Unlike vinyl and tile flooring, hardwood flooring must almost never be wet mopped unless necessary. This is because too much water on the floor might cause it to warp and buckle. As is known, wood flooring and water do not go well together. Hence, never allow water to sit on the floor.
- Use a feather duster
An upright vacuum with beater bars or a feather duster could dent and scratch the hardwood surface leaving it to look dull and damaged. If you want to vacuum clean your floor, then use those cleaners that come with special hardwood floor attachments.
- Mop waxed hardwood floors
You should never mop sealed or waxed oak parquetry flooring not even with a slightly damp mop. In addition, never apply wax to a French oak parquetry with a urethane finish.
With these little routine maintaining and installation practices, your hardwood flooring is bound to retain its glory. Do not hesitate to add the parquetry designs into most of the rooms, as today’s finishes make hardwood flooring an appealing choice.